Don’t Let Anyone Kill Your Art
Kadir Nelson actor Nothing was the Same album cover
by Joey Mensah; So this past week, Drake’s third album titled Nothing Was the Same was officially released in stores and online on Tuesday, September 24th. Drake, being the clear leader of hip-hop in this generation (in terms of success), has proved again what this generation needs to learn: don’t ever let anyone kill your art. According to RapUp.com, Nothing Was the Same will open up next week on the Billboard 200 in the #1 position selling 675,000 to 725,000 copies. This means he’s beating the openings of his previous albums, which of course also opened at #1: Take Care (631,000 albums sold in the first week), Thank Me Later (447,000 albums sold in the first week). Nothing was the Same is also the second best debut of the year behind Justin Timberlake’s monstrous debut of The 20/20 Experience, which sold 968,000 albums the first week. If you’re not privy to the artist that is Drake, the only word to describe his music is honest. Drake is one of the few artists that can lyrically snap on a track and then turn around and start singing, and still kill it. Cynics hate that! Since he was put on the map with his mixtape So Far Gone, naysayers have always tried to equate Drake with being “soft” for being a rapper that can and does sing; and for also being a rapper that reflects on women and past relationships and for not being misogynistic. Drake is mature. Drake is authentic. Drake is unapologetically himself. Drake is one of my favorite artists, and Nothing Was the Same didn’t disappoint, so this post won’t serve as a review of the album. The only thing I have to say to those who even try to hate on the album: “Who else making rap albums doing numbers like its pop?” (Track 6: “Worst Behavior”—Nothing Was the Same).
Meme reflecting how people over the web feel about Drake’s music
Drake is extremely successful, and with his success he gets A LOT of hate. That’s to be expected. But my question is: For what? Personally, I think there is a lot you can learn from the career that is Drake. Since he started rapping he’s received tons of flack for pretty much everything. But he didn’t compromise his music to appease haters. On Nothing Was the Same, Drake continues to sing and be vulnerable in his lyrics. And guess what, he continues to win. Don’t let anyone kill your art.
Joey Mensah, Class of 2015 at Babson College